TCOT One who got away
by GraceBe
Summary: For a change Lt. Anderson is the hero and he's brave enough to ask Della a certain question...


**The Case of the One who got away - until now**

Lieutenant Anderson hissed in pain when the doctor plunged the syringe into his arm. "Damn it!" he complained.

"Sorry, but you needed that shot. You're lucky the bullet only hit your shoulder."

"The bullet hurt less," Andy replied sourly and rubbed his arm. "How's Mason?"

"He'll live." The answer sounded a bit too casual for the amount of blood he had seen spilling out of the lawyer's leg only two hours before. "He's in surgery now."

"He's lost a lot of blood," Andy said, as he watched the Doctor and nurse whispering over his chart.

"Yes, but it looked worse than it was," the Doctor explained without looking up. "He won't be able to walk for a few weeks, but that's about it. He was lucky the bullet didn't hit the artery."

Andy grunted. The Doctor was probably old enough and had seen enough to make such an assessment, but a little compassion would suffice anyway. Before Andy came up with a fitting reply, someone knocked at the door and a woman he would recognize anywhere peeked in.

"Della!" Realizing he was only wearing trousers, he quickly grabbed for his shirt and hissed in pain, when his shoulder protested upon the unadvised motion.

"Careful!" the Doctor reminded him strictly and ordered the nurse to help Andy with his shirt.

"How are you?" Della asked worried, after the Doctor and the nurse had left.

"I'm okay," he answered quickly and straightened his back. "Any news on Perry?"

With her arms crossed, as if she were cold Della slowly shook her head. He could see in her eyes that she had cried. "No. He's still in surgery."

"He's a tough guy. He'll make it." Andy reminded her, but he knew it sounded hollow. "I just wish he would learn not to go after suspects single-handedly. That one was quite risky."

Della suppressed a bitter chuckle. "Guess who else?!" She swallowed. "But I'm glad you were there. You saved his life." Her eyes became watery again and a smile broadened on her face. "And mine."

He felt how he blushed upon her praise and avoided her eyes. It wasn't the first time he felt enchanted by her, but his instinct told him not for the first time not to go there. She was off-limits for him, because she worked for the 'other side', as Hamilton Burger used to remind frequently. Besides she was crying for another man. "I just did my job," he said, but he sounded hoarse and cleared his throat.

"You know you did more than that," she said.

An embarrassing silence filled the room and he slipped from the chair.

"The most important thing is, Anna Talbot won't hurt anyone anymore," Andy said. "Not Perry and not you."

"I'm sorry you had to shoot her."

"Me too… But people like her don't want to be saved. I bet she wanted to die when she realized, she wouldn't escape."

"I still can't believe it," Della said. "All this time we thought a man was behind the attacks."

"Madness isn't exclusively a male trait," Andy remarked, irony clouding his voice. His words educed a smile from Della.

"I'll try to remember that the next time, someone tries to kill me."

"Good."

Again silence fell and he saw how she blushed. "I think I'll go back. Maybe he's out of surgery by now."

He nodded, "Tell him to get back on his feet soon. The police station will be deserted without him and his clients."

"I will."

She was almost out of the door, when Andy heard himself calling after her. She turned to him, curiosity – and was it expectation? - written all over her face.

"I was thinking…."

"Yes?"

"Would you like to have dinner with me? Not to today, of course!" He added quickly, when he saw the disbelief in her eyes.

"Oh Andy…."

"No, It's all right. I understand." What a fool he was! What a damn fool! What a stupid thing to ask on a day like this.

"I'd like to," she said and he couldn't believe his ears.

"What?"

Now she was laughing. "Yes, I'd like to have dinner with you. Not today though."

"Not today," he repeated, still unable to process the meaning of her answer. "That's fine. I'll call you. At the office…. Soon."

"Good."

One more smile and then she was gone and Andy sank on the chair. Did he just dream or did she really agree to have dinner with him?

 ***finis***


End file.
